How do you create a new Recover Key for two factor authentication for an iPhone?

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How do you create a new Recover Key for two factor authentication for an iPhone?

I'm helping a friend who has two factor authentication set up on his iPhone XS. I was reading about what to do in case he loses access to his iPhone. Like how does he get into his iCloud account in that case?

His iPhone is his only device.

On this page - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202649 - it says if you login with the trusted device and go to the security section you can click Edit > Replace Lost Key. I wanted to do that with him and then he can save the recovery key someplace.

But in the security section, even after clicking edit, there isn't any item to replace the recovery key like it says in the support doc. It's just not there.

So how does he replace the recovery key?

Thanks,

doug

iPhone XS

Posted on Nov 16, 2019 5:45 AM

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Answer 1

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Doug Lerner2 Author

Level 4

1,346 points

Nov 17, 2019 2:35 PM in response to Doug Lerner2

Never mind. I was confusing two factor authentication with two step authentication, which is what that support article is about.

It seems my friend really has no choice at this point but to do something like add my phone number as an extra trusted telephone number. Because that's the only device he has.

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Answer 2

Nov 17, 2019 2:40 PM in response to Doug Lerner2

Correct. You can add any phone number; it doesn't have to be a mobile. It can be a landline or a VOIP phone. I have created a Google Voice number to use for a backup trusted number.

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How do you create a new Recover Key for two factor authentication for an iPhone?

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